Collections relating to the families of D'Annville of Bitton, Gloucestershire, and the Le Grand alias Button of Wiltshire and Glamorganshire

Gc M. L.

92 9.2

B98381b

2011584

REYNOLDS HTSTORlCAL
GENEALOGY COLLECTION

ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY

3 1833 01219 7338

CoUettton^

RELATING TO

THE FAMILIES

OF

D'Annville of Bitton,

Glottcestershire ;

AND

The Le Grand alias Button,

Of Wiltshire and Gki'imrganshiye.

BY

"ALTON."

D

V\

Uonljon :
Bowden, Hudson & Co., 23, Red Lion Street, Holborn.

MDCCCLXXXVIII.
Pakt 1. Ohlv ios Cohes Printed. Entered at Statioheks Halu

TBI
78 9i,2l p

■^i

l??fS

I

r

CoUections

RELATING TO THE FAMILIES OF

D'Annville of Bitton, Gloucestershire ;

AND

The Le Grand alias Button, of Wiltshire
and Glamorganshire.

BY "ALTON."

2011584'

^'Bsij:./::

[7]

" Poverty soon forgets whence it be descended, for it is an ancient
" received saying, that there is noe poverty but is descended of nobilitie,
" nor noe nobilitie but is descended of beggerie.

" Sir John Wynne, of Gwyder, Knt. and Bart.,

" 1553—1626."

" VVraxhall, North, Coy. Wilts.

" In the church here Sir Wm. Button, Knt. and Baronet — the
"father — built, 1 65-, a vault in the N. aisle, where he and his sonne,
" Sir Wm., and his Lady, lye buried. There is (1659-1670) no monu-
" ment set up for them but the pennons, which are now dropping ; and
" though nothing of antiquity, yet for pitie, and for they were my very
" worthy friends, I will here sett them doune, viz. : —

" I. Crest : A ducal cap, for Sir William Button.

" 2. Arms : Button, Burnell, Bryan (?) Carter, Flud, Furneaux.

" 3. Dunch of Avebury, Barnes, Pilkington.

" 4. Button impaling Lambe of Coulston.

" 5. Button impaling Dunch of Avebury.

" 6. Button impaling Kolle of Stevenston, Devon.

" 7. Rolle impaling Dennys.

" John Aubrey, F.R.S.
" A.D. 1659-70."

I.

:ITTON, otherwise Button, in the
County of Gloucester, is said to have
been that place whence the Buttons,
of whatever nationality, derived their name.

Spelt in a hundred different ways, it has caused much
trouble and conjecture to the antiquarian and genealogist.

That it should have been so variously spelt will cease to
create wonder when it is considered how

II.

1. Climatic influences so affect the vocal organs as
to cause radical differences in the vocalization of
letters, whether consonants or vowels, occurring
singly or in combination. This being so, phonetic
spelling would necessarily follow in the earlier
times.

2. Association also promotes variety, by occasioning
involuntary mimicry.

3. Fashion also, for it is ever mutable.

4. Personal vanity or policy, such as caused one
Bugg to change his nomen — a very ancient and
highly respectable one — for the more euphonious
"Norfolk Howard."

.o^

III.

To show how the name Bitton, or Button came to be spelt
so many ways, it will be necessary to prove by example
how its seeming root words, Bit or But and Ton suffered
the following and other modifications : —

B and V are interchangeable, e.^'., B in Baron becomes Varon, as
" Varones illustres." Wiltshire parlance has converted Barons into
"Barnes."
T in But becomes d, as in Bud-den.

D in Dun has been converted into into T. Thus Duns, who held Bitton
in the time of Edward the Confessr, is spelt Toni in early charters, and
is mentioned as Toni and Thoni " the Englishman." In fact, the
D in Bad becomes th in Bath-tun ; and similarly Betun and Betune

become Bethon and Bethune.
S is also interpolated as in Besthon for Bethon.
U in Butt becomes ou, as in Boute, Bout-on, and e, as in Betton.
U in Butt becomes o, as in Boton, and the o in Boton becomes i, as in
Botin, " Carta Radi Botin de 3 acris in dominio suo Test Walt Boton
patre mco."

Y in Byt becomes u, as in But.

Y in Byt becomes a, as in Bat, Batton, and Batten.

IV.

U in uetas becomes V, as in Vetus, ancient.

V.
V in Viton becomes B in Biton.

VI.
M in A»;ne becomes n, as in Anne.

VII.

D in Grand becomes t, as in Gran/.

VIII.

A in Grand becomes au, as in Graund and Graunt

[II]

IX.

Conjecture.

BITTON— apparently compounded of Bit, or Byt and Ton-
may be derived from one or other of the following : —

1. Bar— a boar. Subsidy 20 James I., the Hundred de Lanley et Swins-
head, liitton and Hanain is mentioned. Swyn is Anglo-Saxon for
swine, and here (at Lammas-tide?) it is customary to turn out a black
boar before the advent of the menagerie of animals which then follows.
At Barr Court the D'Amneville-Buttons lived, and their successors, the
Barrs. A certain John de Barton, in 1337. migrated northwards.
"John de Barton port de ermyn une fees de goules et trois anelettes
d'or en le fees."

2. Barth— a fish. There is the figure of a fish on a sepulchral monu-
ment at Bath, which was found near Hanham.

3. Bartha— baths. Bath, the Acqua Solis of the Romans, is only six
miles distant ; in Saxon times it was called Acemanns-burh— Sick man's

Town. ■ V J- •

4. Bat— a club. Batt and Batsford are common names m the district ; ,

probably they derived their name from Bath.

5. Bere-tun— a grange, from Bere— barley. Grant of two fairs, a.d. 1304.
«c _ . et unam aliam feriam apud manerium suum de la Berton
juxta Bathon in eodcm comitatio singulis annis per duos dies

durancium."
5. Bid and Bod— a prayer, preacher, an envoy. " The Romans, under
Aulus Plautius, defeated Caractacus ; he fled to Wales "—an event
which occasioned the immediate submission of the Dobuni, or Boduni,
of Oxford and Gloucester." The family of Newton (Caradock) were
seized of the manor of Bitton.

7. Buc— a bucket, flagon, vessel, or water-pot. " Vicarii Prebendis
Ecclesise de Bucton, alias Button." In Registers of the Bishops of
Worcester, 1268.

8. Burh— a castle. Bitton is now said to be "Trajectus, where are
evident traces of a Roman camp, with a tumulus, and situate near the
confluence of the Boyd and Avon." Probably the Vettonensian (Spanish)'
horse were quartered there.

9. Butt— a butt. In Monmouthshire was the Town of Buttingtun.

10. Byt— a flagon, bottle, butt, or tun. A very rude sepulchral monu-
ment was found near Bath; it represents a nearly nude figure, which
holds in one hand a cup, and in the other a club (bat). It is said
to represent " Hercules Bibrax."

[12]

The Thuon-i and Bithuon-I.

"OrIGINKS Cl'LTICK."

In a note to Dion Perieg (792) Eustathius tells us : " It is said
that the Bithun-oi once possessed the country from the
Bosphorus as far as the Rhebas, but that the hilly country
beyond, on the Pontus, the Thuon-i possessed, as far as the
River Kales ; so that the Tlnion-oi and Bit-thiion-oi were
conterminous, and were so called from certain famous brothers,
Thnon-os and Biihun-os, sons of Phin-eus by adoption ; so
Arrian says." As Arrian was a native of the district, these
extracts deserve careful attention.

X.

England, and Europe at large, abound with place-names com-
pounded of the stem-words Byt, Bit, But, Bad, Bat, Bet,
Bud, Pot, their variants of equal significance, and other stem-
words, as Ton, Berg, or terminations as En and Ing.

In England and in early Anglo-Saxon times there were settlements named
Bytt-ing-as and Pot-ing-as, the equivalents of Budd-ing-a and Poting-in,
the localities being Baden, Wurtemberg, and Friesland for the one, and
Baden, Austria, and Friesland for the other.

In the Liber Vita; occurs the name of Bota — that of an Anglo-Saxon who
made a pilgrimage to the s*irine of St. Cuthbert.

XI.

Nevertheless, people of the name of Button are not all descended
of the race of Byt ; some derive from that race's remote
kindred — interlopers, who acquired such Manors as Bitton,
alias Button, either vi et armis, or by legal processes, as by
purchase or marriage. With the " Advenee " — the so-called
Normans who came over with William the Conqueror — the
aboriginal race seems eventually to have become intimately
allied.

[13]

XII.

But before endeavouring to trace the origin of the '' Advenae,"
it would be well to mention that very remote ancestors of
these were in England during the Roman occupation, and
departing, left descendants. They were not in every case of
Roman blood, but the soldiery of the subject races.

XIII.

Amongst these diverse races was the Spanish. The Vetton-
ensian horse formed an integral portion of the 20th Legion,
stationed near Bath, in the fourth century of the Christian
era.

Proof is furnished by the sepulchral monument, preserved at Bath, of
" Lucius Vitellius Mantani
" Filius Tancin-us + Gives
" Hispmiia Cauriesis x

" Equitum AL-e Vetton-wn
" Centuris Annorum XLVI
" Stirpendiorum XXVI
" H S E
In the year 1708, in repairing the road called "The Fosse"- — originally
a Roman way, which now forms the London road running through
Walcot — was found the tomb of

" Julius Vitalis Fabriciesis Legiones
" Vicesima Valerianas Victrices," &:c.
He was a native of Belgic Britain, a stipendiary of the 20th Legion, and

a member of the College of Armourers at Bath.
Now, in " Monumenta Angl." Tom. i — 1S6, is "Carta Johannis Episcopi
Bathon, a.d. 1106," signed by " Vitalis, clericus." Probably Vitales
became Vidal, and Fabriciesis, Ferrers.

The " Bit " in Bitton, alias Button, having been dealt with, I
propose to investigate the origin and meaning of the terms
Grand, Grant, and Graunt (the Buttons' most ancient name),
and finally endeavour to trace the Norman (.-*) Damnevilles,
styled Button, seized of the manor of that name in the time
of Henry II. That these were of the same kin as the Grands,
&C., is indisputable.

[14]

The Origin and Locality of the Ermine.

The Latins termed the Ermine " Muris Armenice Vellus," and
sometimes " Exuviae Pontice Muris," from the country of
Pontus.

Fontus, " Ilia regione Asiie Minoris, que ad Ponti litus a meridie sita
est, inter Bithyji-iam et Paphlagonium, item quaj inter Paphlagoniam
et Armeniain majoram; Pontus etiani Galaticus, Cappadocius, ct
Polemoniacus cognominata . . . Regnavit in ea Mitlii idates : qui
devicta, in provinciam ab Romanis redacta est."

" VVhen Priam-us, King of Troy, fought against the Greeks he would wear
a mantle doubled with Ermine ; and so the ancient Dukes of Brittany
(Celts), deriving their descent from him, carried Ermine."

But there was a time when they bore Ears of Corn, called " Garbs "
(Welsh — Ysgab). Thus Newton, of Barr's Court, Bitton vel Button,
Gloucester, display Garbs quartered thus : —

*' On a chevron azure, three Garbs or, for Caradock, the ancient
British name of the Family."

The Bearers of the Ermine, &c.

1337. " Le Due de Bretagne port de Ermyne."

1365. '* L'hermine, dans le blason, se figure par une moucheture
de sable, cest-a-dire noire, sur un fond blanc, quis est sans ^mail
particulier, come ont le voit aux amies si connus de Bretagne. On dit
que John V, dit le Vaillant, instituta ou renouvela, vers, 1365, un ordre

dc chevalerie dit I'hermine depuis ce temps la Bretagne

porta d'hermines au lieu de trois Gerbes que les anciens Dues portaient."

ri5]

" Arma Magnorum, le Grand ou Grant, de Vallibus super
seulam in Normania."

Devise : " Cuinach Bas Alpin," Souvenez voiis du meutre
d'Alpin.

1st Quarter : Royal Arms of Scotland, for Royal descent.

2nd. Ermine, with a chevron gules charged with three
ancient or Eastern crowns, the arms of (1166) Nicol de
Quetteville, chevalier Normand. " Dont Tassain Grant
epousa la fille."

3rd. Three cocks, for Grants, Vicomtes de Caen, and the
Scottish Families.

4th. Royal Arms of England and Scotland : Jean Grant
having married Jeanne BouUen, and the Grants having
several times been allied with the Stewarts.

Anneville, in Normandie : " D'hermines, a la fasce de
Gueules."
1155 — 89. Adam d'Amavil seized of the Manor of Bitton.
1299. Adam d'Amneville-Button, Great Grandson of Adam

d'Amneville : " Ar, Ermine, a fesse Gules."
1293. Thomas Button, his son, born in Wiltshire, 14th Bishop
of Exeter, Installed or consecrated 15th January, 22
Edward I. Governed 14 years. Ob. 1307. Seal and
ring at Exeter, and seals in the British Museum. " Ar,
Ermine, a fess gules. Crest, a Ducal cap."
162 1. Sir William Button, of Alton, Wiltshire, descended from
John Button, of Worlton, Glamorgan, who migrated
thence to Wiltshire, 1470.

Ar, ermine, a fess gules. Crest, a Ducal cap.

Le Grand, alias Button, of Glamorgan, said to be de-
scended from Guyon le Grand, a Duke of Seville.
Ancient arms not noted.

[i6]

The following display Ermine, a fess Gules : —
Barnabe,
Barnake,
Bohi-diS,
Barton-ie,
Bittonie, Sir John,

Bitton, or Button, Bishop of Exeter, 1292-1307 ;
Button (William), Bishop of Bath, and Archdeacon of
Wells, 1 247-1 264 ;

Button (William), Bishop of Bath, Archdeacon of Wells,

1247-1274, and Lord Chancellor ;
Button of Worcester,
Button of Dorset,
Bernake, Sir John,
Bern-ak, of Norfolk,
Charters,
Charteris,
Chatres,

D'Anneville of Guernsey (extinct),
D'Anneville of Valonges, Normandy ;
Ditton, Sir John, Dorset, Temp. Edward II.
D'Eaton of Devon,
Farneiax,

Homer of Somerset,
Illey, or Isley (de Insula), Kent,
Rydford,
Tebati-e,
Tedan-ie.

[17]
Guyon le Grand, Duke of Seville,

who married Mabel, dan. of Richard de Clare, Earl of Gloucester.

Nearly every Pedigree of the Le Grant or Button Family com-
mences with the statement that the first settler of the name
in Wales was a certain Guyon le Grand, Duke of Seville.

Having perused the MSS. styled " La Reparticlon de Sevilla,"
circa. 1 266, I have failed to trace him.

It is said that Thomas le Grand, who assumed the name of Button
and married the heiress of Duffryn, was the fifth in descent
from Guyon.

The title le Grand and the name — a succession of Gouyons — occur
in a Breton poem, translated from the Latin, in 1224: —

GouYON LE Grand.

" Uii Prince Banneret qui se clamoit Gouyon
Condusit celle classe au port de Matignon
Ou arrivd qui fut, il descendit sans faille,
Et mist grands et petits en ordre de Bataille."

Un chevalier illec, estoit
Qui le nom de Gouyon portoit,
Eel et gent en tout mani^re,
Et qui estoit chief de banniire.

Icel comma sage et expert
Conduisit tot I'ost, comma appert
Par un livre de Bannerie
Fait sans fraude et trufferie
Oil estoit son bien et pouer,
Pour plus seuret^ y trover,
Ainsi comme, la segnorie
De Matignon, sans jenglerie,
Qu'estoit moult haute baronnie,
Appartenante h. baronnie,
Aquel pais ars et de'moUy
Cui doient bien ne trouver nully
Qui past opposition mettre

[i8]

A ce que vouloient entremettre,

Qu'estoit, sans crainte ni danglers,

Nettir Bretagne d'estrangieres.

Et pour ce, tot Ic prime a terre,

Fut o bande, sans plus enquerre,

Cil Gouyon qui desa et \h »

Occisoit tout, sans dire hola;

Celle gente Normande et Danoise

Qui tant leur avoit fail de noise."

♦ * * *

" Si advint qu'environ I'an neuf cent trente six."

* # * *

After this more verses, and an account of another Gouyon, " Ce
nouvel Due."

The poem, which contains many names yet common in England,
and more particularly Gloucestershire, terminates thus : —

A.D. 1224.

" Et est ce beau livre en latin
Que moy Prior de Saint Aubin,
Jadis de la fondation
Des ayeux d'iceluy Gouyon.
Frater Guillelmus, dit l' Ainaiit,
Ay translat<5, par le command
De dame Jeanne de Bretagne
De Bertrand Gouyon la comjiagne."

Saint Aubin, "Abbaye de I'Ordre de Citeaux, fondee le 3 Fevriere, 1137',
par Geoffrey Bot-erel, Comte de Lamballe." (From another Source.)

" Frater Guillelmus, dit I'Amant
. Ay translate, par le command

De dame Jeanne de Bretagne

De Bertrand Gouyon la compagne."

Elizabeth de Clare, sister and coheir of Gilbert de Clare=i. John de Burgh,
of Ulster, 2. Richard tTAmory, a relation of " Frater Guillelmus dit
rAinant " ?

Elizabeth's sisters and co-heirs were Elianor de Clare, ob. 1337 \vho=
Hugh le Despencer the younger, beheaded, and Margaret de Clare=
I. Pierce de Gaveston, 2. Hugh de Audley.

[19]

That Guyon le Grand, Duke of Seville, was descended of this race
is not improbable, since the D'Annevilles of England and
France, and the Buttons also, bore the Ermine of Bretagne,
plus a fesse Gules — a mark of honourable descent.

As to Guyon le Grand's marriage with Mabel de Clare, that is

difficult to prove : the descents of the daughters of that House

being no more clear than many others. However, it is on

record that the De Clares, Earls of Gloucester and Glamorgan,

j.u., were the descendants pf Amicia, i.e., Mabel Fitzhamon,

and Richard de Clare, Earl of Hertford.

Mabel Fitzhamon, of Tewkesbury, was descended from Robert, Earl of
Gloucester, a natural son of King Henry I., of England, by Nesta Rhys,
Princess of South Wales.

A Richard de Clare died in Britanny 1 299, and was married to
Isabel, d. of William Mareschal, Earl of Pembroke.

Nicholas Harris Nicholas, F.S.A., says :

"In 1173 Richard de Clare, 6th Earl and third of the name of Richard,
was living and married to Amicia, d. and sole heir of William, Earl of
Gloucester. Richard died 1 2 1 8. "

If one take 35 years as the average duration of male life in those
times of "battle, murder, and sudden death," and add the
sum of 105 years to 11 73, the result is 1278, or about the
date when Thomas le Grand, alias Button, married the heiress
of Dyffryn.

It is worthy of note that in Saxon England was the district of
6^r««/-anscyre, and on the line of the Ermine Street was
Caer Grazini, and close by, Gratil-^nhnge, now Cambridge,
and 1 7 miles east by south was and is Clare.

So mg gleat litllt dfeilbun:

1 Donald Roy.

2 DoRES Blanch.

3 Harold Holbrook.

T. C. B.

Upwards of .£77,000.000 is aduertised as aivaitlng
claimants, and manij titles are ' dormant ' for laclc of
information which, a Genealogist may provide.

.Mr. Button, is a Genealogical expert, also an Illustj-ator
of Pedigrees.

Being acquainted ivlth languages, and mindful of
the mutations in Political Geography, he is in a po.'^ition
to clear itu niani/ of //ics.- .<t\'t)iin.i c.iiomolit'i ic/i;i'/) <!tv .'.>
be found in most published Descents.

[23^

Oh ! may Time's measures infinite

Bring added lustre to thy growth of years,

In acts of worth, and definite ;

Which bearing seed — not for thyself, may-be —

Shall prove in good a fruitful legacy

To those around thee, and to those unborn.

Nor deem abortive these, should they chance fall

Upon a seeming sterile strand or soil ;

For good deeds die not, and unselfish toil

Ne fruitless of result may ever be.

Speed on ye swift recurring moments, speed !
From minutes changing unto months, and years,
And let each measure mark some goodly deed,
Some ruthful act, and see assuaged some tears :
Not for thyself, but others, let these flow ;
So shall thy life be bountiful in good ;
Live but for action ; though the envious throw
Detraction's word upon thy every mood.
Cease not to labour — though misunderstood :
For note — of all the trees, both dry and green,
None draws the stone save that whose fruit is seen.

7. C. B.

[24]

" la ©rent Mm."

That man is great, and he alone,
Who serves a greatness not his own,

For neither praise nor pelf;
Content to know, and be unknown ; —
Whole in himself.

Strong is that man ; he only strong.
To whose well-ordered will belong,

For service and delight.
All powers that, in spite of wrong,
Establish right.

And free he is, and only he.
Who from his tyrant passions free.

By fortune undismayed,
Hath power upon himself to be
By self obeyed.

If such a man there be, where'er
Beneath the sun and moon he fare,

He cannot fare amiss ;
Great nature hath him in her care,
Her cause is his.

Time cannot take him by surprise ;
Fate cannot crush him : he shall rise

Stronger from overthrow : — -
Whose arm a Heavenly friend supplies
'Gainst Heaven's foes.

Who holds by everlasting law,

Which neither chance nor change can flaw.

Whose steadfast cause is one
With whatsoever forces draw
The ages on.

Who hath not bowed his honest head
To base occasion ; nor in dread

Of duty shunned her eye,
Nor truckled to himself, nor wed
His heart unto a lie :

Lord of a lofty life is he,
Loftily living, though he be

Of lowly birth ; though poor.
He lacks not wealth ; nor high degree
In state obscure.

"Owen Merfdith!*

[25]

auf (ttcpgar aut iaullua."

*' Cfesar or NuUus ! Brother, say not so ;

By such mad speech thou dost thy soul much wrong ;

Such words are not for thee, who art so strong,
Manly, and true to let thyself sink low.
Missing the highest. There is a bitter woe

For every son of man who turns his back

On his ideal ; therefore, though the track
Lead to no regal goal, still onward go.
Not thine to fix how high thy state shall be,

Nor thine, perchance, to feel the Coesar crown
Clasping thine upturn'd brow ; thou ne'er may'st see

The purple from thy shoulders falling down.
But it is thine to live right royally,

■King of thyself, and gain a King's renown."

[26]

JTfjc Mime is HtsV

" The fire doeth frye, the frost doeth freese,

The cold breedes care, the hcate doeth harme.
The middle point 'twixt both is best,

Nor over-colde, nor over-warme.
I dreame it not the happy life

The needie beggers bag to beare :
Ne yet the blessed state of all

A mightie Kaisar's crowne to weare.
That one is cloied with sundry cares.
And dies a thousand times a day :
That other still in danger goes,

For every traitor's hand to slay.
The highest hill is not the place

Whereon to build the stately tower :
The deepest vale it is as ill,

For lightly there doth rest the shower.
The sailing ship that keeps the shore,

Upon the rocke is often rent :
And he that ventures out too farre,

And tries the streain with waves is hent,
For there the wind dotli worke his will,

There Neptune's churlish imps do raign :
The middle way is safe to saile,

I mean the mean betwixt the twain.
So that the meane is best to choose,

Not over hie nor over loue :
Wherefore, if you your safetie love,

Imbrace the meane, let mounting goe."

G. Turbcrvile, a.d. 15 — .

[27]

Pedigree of Button of Alton, In the County of

Wilts.

Given in the Wilis Visitation for "Button of Alton."

I. Sir WALTER DE BUTTON, c;<5. i228 = Matilda.
II. Sir ADAM DE BUTTON, 1 241 = Eleanor.

III. Sir JOHN DE BUTTON = Avice Burnel, d. and h.

of Burnel.

IV. MATTHEW BUTTON = Isabel, d. of Sir John de la

Bere, 39 Edw""- III., by Agnes, d. of Sir Payne de
Turberville of Coyty.
V. Sir JOHN BUTTON, i38i=Joan Grenville; i. Sir
John Button of Dorset = Avice, d. and co-h. of Sir
M. de Furneaux (Royal Descent) ; 2. Thomas Button ;
3. Sir George Button.
VP. THOMAS BUTTON, called also GRANT = Cecil,
heiress of Worlton, d. of Sir Guy de Bryan ; i.
Howel Button; 2. Joan' Button = Morgan ap Howel.
VII. HOWEL BUTTON, of Worlton = Gwenllian, d. of
Tomkyn Turberville, of Tythogston, by Lucy, d. and
co-h. of Sir John N orris of Penllyne Castle.
VIII. THOMAS BUTTON = Gwenllian, d. of Howel Gam
Penhros (Joan, d. of Howel ap Evan Howel),
IX. HOWEL AP THOMAS BUTTON = Eleanor, d. of
Evan ap Griffith Madoc of Llandaff, i. Nicholas
Button; 2. Thomas Button, whence a branch ; 3. John
Button, whence Button oi Alton ; 4. A dau. = Llewellyn
ap Evan; 5. Ann = Morgan Gamage, a natural son
of John Gamage of Coyty.

[28]-

Pedigree of Button of Alton-

X. NICHOLAS BUTTON, of Worlton=: Margaret, d. of

Thomas Andrews, of Cadoxton.

XI. THOMAS BUTTON = Joan, d. of John ap Evan

Thomas, of Llanvihangel ; i. Roger Buttoti ; 2. Ann
Button = Thomas Gibbon of Cardiff.
XII. ROGER BUTTON, Founder's Kin at New College, by
his Mother = Maud Kemys of Newport; i. J amis
Button; 2. Ann Button = Thomas Lewis of Baglan.
XIII. JAMES BUTTON, of Worlton, Sheriff, 1556 = Jane,
d. of Robert Prichard of Wallis, from Jestyn (Royal
Descent); i. Miles Button; 2. Thomas Button =
Elizabeth, d. of James Andrews ; 3. Robert Button =
1 Mary Lewis, d. of Llewellyn Lewis of Rydlaver,
2Wenllian, d. of W""- Matthew, by her Roger and
Robert Button; 4. Ann Button = Francis Branch;
5. Margaret Button = iW'"- Gitto of Pendoylon, 2 Sir
Morgan ap Nicholas Vaughan, Archdeacon of
Llandaff; 6. Jane Button = Nicholas Andrews; 7.
Amy Buttons Thomas Gibbon of Cefn-tre-Payn ;

8. =:John Smith of St. Andrews; 9. Elizabeth

Button (base), by a d. of Jenkin Smith = John Baw-
drip; 10. Sir John Button, Parson of Merthyr Dovan.
XIV. MILES BUTTON, Sheriff, 1564-1570 = Margaret, d.
of Edward Lewis of Van; i. Edward Button; 2
Sir William Button, whose d. Frances = Edward
Evans of Neath; 3. James Button, left James and
Ann; 4. Sir Thomas Button (the well-known Arctic
Explorer), whence Button of Cottrcll ; 5. Amy
Button = ^ Morgan Meyric of Cottrell, '-^ David Evans
of Neath ; 6. Mary Button = W"' Thomas of Moulton,
mother of Captain Thomas Button, R.N. ; 7. Catherine
Button = W"' Roberts of St. Tathans ; 8. Ann Button.

[29]

Pedigree of Button of Alton —

XV. EDWARD BUTTON=Jane, d. and co-h. of Robert
Huntley of Hadnock ; i. Robert Button; 2. Ann
Button.

XVI. ROBERT BUTTON, of Worlton, Sheriff, 1639. will

dated 2nd Jan., 1661, proved at Llandaff, 1662 =
Jane, d. of Sir Thomas Aubrey; i. Martin Button;
2. Thomas Button, ob. 1659, s.i'. ; 3. Miles Button,
ob. 1703, a Captain in the King's Service; 4. Cyssil
Button; 5. Margaret Button ^W'"- Basset of Miscin;

6. Mary Button, bapt 1616, buried at Lantrithyd ;

7. Sibil Button.

XVII. MARTIN BUTTON, of Worlton, Sheriff, 1666, will

dated 1692, proved at Llandaff, 1692 = Mary, d. of
Lewis Van of Colbro', widow of Chris. Mathew of
St.-y-Nill, her will proved, 1695; i. Martin Bzitton ;

2. CAar/t's Button ; 3. Mary Button = Oliver Jones
of Fonom, 1653.

XVIII. MARTIN BUTTON, left a legacy to a natural d.,

ob. s.p.l.

XIX. 2 CHARLES BUTTON, brother and heir of Worlton,

will 1713, proved 1715, at Llandaff = Mary Van, 1750;.

I. Martin Button; 2. Charles Button, living 1748;

3. Mary Button ; 4. Jane Button.

XX. MARTIN BUTTON, of Worlton, Sheriff, 1727,
ob. s.p., leaving as his heir-at-law and representative
of the Family, Robert Jones of Fonmon ; Worlton,
then called Duffryn-St.-NichoIas, was sold to Robert
Pryce.

Note. — There is much confusion here : it is less a pedigree of the Buttons of
Alton than of those of Worlton in the County of Glamorgan. No wonder the
Heralds were at fault, when all monumental traces of the Buttons of Biiton had for
centuries been lying beneath the earth of their own mortuary chapel, founded by
Bishop Thomas Button, of Exeter, over the bodies of his Parents and Kin. The
Bishop's Ordinance is dated a.d. 1299. The monuments were not disinterred until
1826 \—T.C.B.

rsi]

Admiral Sir Thomas Button, of Cottrell.

•' Thomas Button, Navigateur et Mathematicien habile, etait
attache au service du Prince Henry, fils aine de Jacques er, Roi d'Angleterre, et
fut envoy6 par ce Prince, en 1611, pour continuer au nordouest les docouvertes
coramenc^es par Hudson. II partit avec deux vaisseaux qui portaient comme
ceux de Cook, dans son dernier voyage, les noms de !a Resolution et de la Ddcou-
verte. Arrivo- au detroit de Hudson, ou il entra par le sud des lies de la Rc^solution,
il y fut quelque temps arretu par les glaces. Enfin il toucha h I'ile de Dig (named
after Sir Dudley-Digges) ou il construisit une pinasse que Ton avait aiiportee
ddniontue d'Angleterre. En s'avan^ant h. louest, il vit h. 62° de latitude, une terre,
qu'il nomma ' Carey's Swan's Nest ' ; de \h il fit voile au sud-ouest, et revint au
nord, ou il decouvrit, au 6o<', une cote que ce retour lui fit nommer ' Terre de
I'Espcrance dcJi^ue.' Bientot I'hiver rigoureux de ces parages I'obligea i hiverner
par le 57° 10' dans un port h. I'embochure d'une riviere. II donna k I'une et h.
I'autre le nom de Nelson, maitre de son navire. Button assura le mieux qu'il put les
vaisseaux contre les glaces et les hautes marees, au moyen de pilotis qu'il fit enfoncer
dans I'eau. On passa I'hiver dans les navires oii Ton tint constamment trois feux
allumcs ; malgrc ces precautions, Button perdit plusieurs personncs de son equipage ;
lui-meme fut tres nialade au commencement de I'hiver. La riviire ' Nelson ' n'etait
pas encore geloe au 16 fevrier, quoiqu'il eut dt^gi (ait extremement froid. Button
ne mit h. la voile que deux mois aprfcs pour explorer la cote ouest de la baie qu'il
appela de son nom ' baie de Button ' ; la terre voisine re^ut celui de ' NoiivelU-
Galles.' II trouva au 60" degre un courantqui portait tantot h Test, tantot k I'ouest,
ce qui engagea le second maitre de navire h. designer sur la carte cet circonstance,
par le nom de ' Hubbart's Hope.' Button poussa ses recherches jusqu'au 65"
degr^, et les observations qu'il fit dans ces parages le convainquirent de la possibility
d'un passage au nord. II appela une baie de la terre de Carey's Swan's Nest, situi!e
sous ce parallcle, ' Non plus Ultra,' et les caps de sud et de Test ' Southampton ' et
' Pembroke ' ; il decouvrit k Test les iles ' Mansfield ' {Manse/l). Arriv(S au cap
Chidley, il decouvrit, entre cette pointe et la terre de Labrador, une overture par
laquelle il passa, et arriva en Angleterre en seize jours, dans I'automne de 161 2." —
Eyrih, 1812.

[ 32 ]
Thomas Button, Arctic Navigator.

Extracts from Captain Luke Fox's " North- West Fox, or Fox

from the North-West, Passage." The Author's was the

sixteenth from King Arthur's. The Book was printed by

the King's (Charles') command, 1635.

Fox says : " Concerning this voyage, there cannot be much expected from
me, seeing that I have met with none of the Journalls thereof It
appeareth that they have been concealed ; for what reasons 1 know not."

Fox got his information of this voyage from Abacuck Pricker and Sir
Thomas Roe, who were in the same voyage.

Sir Thomas Button gave the name of Mansell (his cousin) to an island
where he found images, toys, nior's teeth, the ruins of houses, and dead
men's bones.

His Parentage,

Thomas Button, 4th son of Miles Button, of Worleton, in the Parish of St.

Nicholas, Glamorgan, by Margaret, daughter of Sir Edward Lewis, of

Van : " A very old Welsh family, of whom the Cromwells of Hinchinbrook

were probably cadets."
Sir Thomas Button went to sea in 1592.
In 1609 he had a ship, as Captain Button.
In 1620 he took part in the expedition against Algiers and the pirates. His

ship was the " Rainbow," of 660 tons, 40 guns, and 250 men.

PiRATEff IN THE BRISTOL CHANNEL.

In 1602 fifteen sail of Turkish and Salle Rovers swept the coast from

Plymouth to Scilly Islands. They swarmed in the British Channel, and

their favourite rendezvous was off Cardiff, under the headland of Penarth.
In 1625 he went to sea in the "Antelope." His nephew. Captain Oliver

St. John (of Fonmon) asked the Duke of Buckingham leave to serve as

Vice- Admiral.
In 1625 — 6 he lived at Fulham.
In 1628 he had enjoyed for 15 years the office of Admiral of the King's

Ships on the Coast of Ireland.
In 1629 he writes of his services in the West Indies. (State Papers, Ch. I.,

Vol. 161, No. II.)
In 1630 he was living at Cardiff.
In 1 63 1 he writes from Maidenhead to the Admiralty, praying payment of

heavy arrears due to him : " If this money be not paid, his wife and seven

children must beg."
•" The place of his death and burial have not been discovered." It is

probable he died at Little Wittenham, Berks, on the Thames, where lived

his well-to-do connexions, the Dunches. — T. C. B.

[33]

Furneaux and Button.

Matthew Furneaux

Maude Rali (and Raleigh), d. of
Lord Warin of Rali, and Johanna
Botiler of Wallis : — i. Simon

Simon Furneaux, ob. 1351
Sir John de Bitton

Sir John Button died at Calais
Matthew Button

Sir John Button, ob. sp.

Catherine Button

Jane Rugge, d. and heir of Thos. =
Rugge, of Charlecombe, Som-
erset, ob. 1485

Elizabeth Grendour, her dau. =

Furneaux,

ob.

1351 — 2. Henry

Furneaux,

ob.

sp. ; 3. Thomas

Furneaux,

ob.

sp. ; 4. Eleanor

Furneaux-

-Sir

Henry Haddon ;

5. Hawise Furneaux = Sir John
de Bitlon ; 6. Jane Furneaux
(styled " of Gournay ") = Sir John
Trivit (Tyrwhit) ; 7. Margaret
Furneaux= Sir John Beaupr6

His dau. Elizabeth = Sir John
Blount

Harwise Furneaux, dau. of Matthew

Furneaux: i. Sir John Button;

2. Matthew Button ; 3. Maude

Button ; 4. Elizabeth Button ; 5.

Beatrice Button
(Another Sir John died in Portin-

gale)
Constance Kingston, dau. of Sir

Thomas : i. Sir John Button ; 2.

Catherine = Thomas Rugge

I. Margery de la More : 2. Isabel
Hurst, whose second husband
was Sir John Devereux

Thomas Rugge (spelt in a variety of
ways, but probably Brugge,
i.e., Bruge and Brydges the cor-
rect)

I. Robert Grendour; 2. Sir John
Barre, of Northerwas, Hereford

= John Tiptoft, Marquis of Worcester,
beheaded 1470

At the death of Jane Barre, nee Rugge, she held Barr's Court, Bitton, Old-
land, East Hanham, West Hanham, and Upton, all in Bitton.

The daughters of Sir John Button and Harwise Furneaux, viz. : i. Maude
= twice: I. William de la More (son of Stephen and Constantia) ; 2.
Sir Simon Basset

2 Elizabeth = Philippe or Philpot Hampton

3 Beatrice = Sir Hugh Strowde

" Now alyve clamyth as heirs to my ladye Barie." The Will of Joan or Jane
Barr is extant.

[34]

Chichele and Button.

Thomas Chichele, of Higham
Ferrers, ob. 1400

William Cichele, Sheriff of Loii- =
don

A^nes or Elizabeth Chichele

Elianor Dee

Agnes : i. Hy. Chichele, Archbp.
of Canterbury, Founder of All
Soul's Collei;e, Oxford, oh. 1443;

2. Sir Robert Chichele, Lord
Mayor of London, 141 1 — 1421 ;

3. William Chichely ; 4. A dau.
= — Tooke

I. Wm. Chichele, Archdeacon of
Canterjjury; 2. John Chichele,
of London ; 3. Florence Chichele
= (i. Nicholas I'eche ; 2. John
Burton ; 3. Sir John Darrell, of
Calehill, Kent, living 1404) ; 4.
Agues or Elizabetii Chichele

Thomas Dee, alias Lisson ap Gron-
well, Elianor Dee, or Gronow :
Lady of the Ringe

John ap Evan a[) Thomas, i. Jenkyn
Thomas, Lord of Llanyhangle ;
2. Jane Thomas = Thomas Button

Thomas Button, ^ndjane Thomas' son was

Roger Button =

James Button, his son =

Amy Button, James' dau. = Thomas Gybbon, of St. Fagan's

John Gybbon, their son =

James Button's son was Miles Button, oi Glamorgan; the Mansels, Turber-
villes, and Nashes of Carne are descended from " Founder's Kin." An
Aubrey (descended from Mansel of Llantithred, and Mary Mansel, who
= Sir Thomas Aubrey) = Button of Dyffrin.

[35]

Aubrey.

Saunder de St. Awbrey, or Alberick, of France ; Brother to
Alberick, Earl of Bologne, and Earl Marshal of France, circa,
1066,

His Son, Sir Reginald de Sancto Alberico, or Alberick, or
Awbrey. Lord of Slough, and Abercyngfigg, 1094. Married
Isabella, d. of Richard, Earl of Clare, and Tonbridge. ( Vide
Clare Descents.)

A Son, William Awbrey,

of Abercynfugg
His Son, Thomas Awbrey
His Son, Thomas Awbrey ;
Constable of the Castle of
Brecknock, nick named "Coch"
His Son, Thomas Awbrey

His Son, Richard Awbrey

A Son, ^Gwalter orWatkin Awbrey, =

of Aberkinfygg
A. Son, Morgan Aubrey =

A Son, 'Jenkin Awbrey =

A Son, iHopkin Awbrey =

A Son, -Thomas Awbrey, =

of Cantref

A Son, William Awbrey, U.C.L., =
heir, Reg. I'rof. of Law, Oxford,
Princip. and Vicar-General in
Spirit to the Archbishop of Can-
terbury, Judge of the Army at
St. Quintin's, of the Council of
Wales, Master in Chancery, of
the Court of Reejuests, ob. 1595.
Buried in St. Paul's Cathedral.

A Son, '■'Sir Thomas Awbrey,
of Llantrithyd, Glamorgan

A Daughter, Cicely^ Awbrey

= Joane, d. of Sir W^illiam Gunter

Joane, d. of John, Baron Carew
Joane, d. of Traharne ap Enion

Nesta, d. of Owen Gcthin, of Glen-

tawey, descended from Blethin ap

Maynarch, Lord of Brecknock
Crislei, d. of Philip ap Elidor, of

Llandilo-Vaur
(John Cradock, 5th in descent from

Howel ap Gronow, alias Newton,

married a Joan Elidei)
Joane, d. and co-heir of Rees ap

Morgan, of Caermarthenshire
Gwenlian, d. and co-heir of \Vatkin

ap Thomas ap David Lloyd
Gwendolena, d. of Owen Griffith, of

Glentawey
Anne, d. of John Griffin ap Evan

Melyn
Jane, d. and co-heir of Tiiomas

Vyclian ap Thomas Lloyd
Wiliford, d. of John Williams, of

Tainton, O.xford

2011584"'

Mary, d. and co-heir of Anthony

Mansell
RouEKT BunoN, of Worleton, son

and heir of Edward Button, of

Worleton, Glamorgan

Vidi Button or Grant Pedigrees

&^m:.iij^

[36]

Gorges.

Maude, (1. of Baldwin, Earl of Flanders
Maude, d. of Malcolm III., Can-
more, King of Scotland

Geoffrey, Earl of Anjou, son of
John, King of Jerusalem

Eleanor, d. and li. of William V.,
Uuke of Acquitaine

Isabel, d. and h. of Aymer, Earl of
Angouleme

Eleanor, d. of Raymond Berengaria,
Earl of Provence

Margaret, d. of Philip the Hardy,
King of France

Alice, d. of Sir Roger Halys, of
Harwich

John, Lord Seagrave
John, Lord Mowbray
Elizabeth Fitzalan, s. and co-heir of
Thomas, Earl of Arundel*

Sir Robert Howard, Kt.

Katherine, d. of Richard, Lord de

Molincs
Sir Edward Gorges, Knt.

Mary, or Margaret, d. of Sir Thos.
Newton, Knt., 14 — , of Bitton,
son of Sir Thomas Newton and
Joan Barre, heiress of Button,
Oldland, E. Hanham, W. Han-
nam, Upton and Barr's Court,
through her motlicr, Margaret
Blount, descended from David
le Blund and Amabel de Bitton

* Thomas, Earl of Arundel = Beatrix Pinto, natural dau. of King John I. of
Portugal — 1357—1434 — "Teve hum filho natural chamado D Affonso, que casou
com Dona Britis filha do Condestable D Nuno Alvarez Pereyra. Teve mais da
propria may a Dona Britis, molher do conde Arondd, ob. 1415" She afterwards—
John Holland, 14th Earl of Huntingdon, 1387 ; Duke of Exeter, 1397.

William the Conqueror
Henry 1.

Maude the Empress, d. and h,

Henry II.

John, King of England

Henry III.

Edward I.

Thomas Plantagent, or Brother-
ton, 5th son
Margaret Plantagenet, d. and h.
Elizabeth Seagrave

Thomas, Lord ^lowbray, Duke of
Norfolk

Margaret de Mowbray
John Howard, created Lo.rd
Howard, Duke of Norfolk
Anne Howard, eldest dau.

Sir Edward Gorges, of Wraxhall,
Somerset, (K.G.)

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A CHARLES MARSHALL DIX V ALFRED E. VENN DE LA PRO-
FESION DE LA LEV ; HOMBRES DE CORAZON DE TALENTOS
NO MEDiOCRES, Y DE PRENDAS DIVERSISSIMAS ; A QUIENES
DEBE MUCHO SU AMIGO Y ALIADO T.C.li. : PORQUE VEINTE
ANOS NO HABIENDO VISTO AL COMPANERO DE SU JUVEUTUD,
LE VINIERON AVUDAR CUANDO AMEnAzaKAN LAS CIRCUN-
STANCIAS APURADAS Y AUN PELIGROZAS.

— S»&®'^«&&©<H —

" Thrice happie those I deeme above the rest,
That ground good-will, and fixe affection so,

As in the end it fall out for the best.
Not broken off by fortune, nor by foe."

— George Turben'ik^ 15 — .